


Life Lived Forward

by Eyrmia



Category: Transformers - All Media Types, Transformers: Prime, Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2015)
Genre: Ambiguous Relationships, Canon Compliant, Character Death, Drinking to Cope, During Canon, Grief/Mourning, Hurt/Comfort, Irony, Loyalty, Multi, Pep Talk, Platonic Relationships, Police Brutality, Post-Canon, Pre-Canon, Religion, Religious Discussion, Riots, Self-Doubt, Self-Reflection, Treachery
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-02-01
Updated: 2017-02-13
Packaged: 2018-09-21 10:04:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 4,297
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9542837
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eyrmia/pseuds/Eyrmia
Summary: Working title.Just a collection of drabbles, typically 100-1500 words each. Mostly Prime-verse, but may occasionally include IDW stuff too.Relationships will be kind of ambiguous so if you want to see it as a romantic pairing you can.Chapter 13: Soundwave finds himself stuck in the Shadowzone.





	1. The Smallest Decisions (Ratchet & Orion Pax)

**Author's Note:**

> Just a warning, these aren't beta'd. Usually they'll be kind of rough (though I'll try to make them semi-understandable). A lot of them will be the semi-coherent ramblings of 1-AM me.
> 
> Enjoy! :)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ratchet answers an important question.

Megatronus is a character, Ratchet has to admit. The gladiator is committed to his ideals––and they’re nothing to sneer at. Even though Ratchet’s an upper-class mech, he’s no stranger to the struggles of those beneath him.

But Megatronus has the life experience of an organic youngling. He’s impulsive, hotheaded, and unbelievably arrogant. All he’s known his entire life is war. Maybe that’s why he’s attracted so many followers from the gladiators, many of which are young bots like himself. They’d all been sparked for the same purpose: to fight. Hordes of nameless, identical husks had been spat out by the factories during the Quintesson War. They were to be nothing but cannon fodder.

And now one of them is spearheading a revolution.

Ratchet’s almost proud. Cybertron certainly needs reform––its politics are outdated and oppressive––but the way Megatronus is going, this will end in blood. War is _not_ what Cybertron needs. Not another one. Not so soon after the Quintessons.

“What do you think, Ratch’?”

Orion’s voice jerks Ratchet back to reality. He raises an eyebrow at the archivist beside him. “What was that?”

Blue optics flick to the ceiling, then back to meet the medic’s yellow ones. Air quietly exits Orion’s vents in a sigh.

“Should I meet him? Megatronus, I mean.”

Ratchet looks away, focusing on a wall across the room.

Megatronus is a child, but so is Orion. He might end the world––not literally of course––but can Cybertron really go through this much upheaval right now? It’s not a question of “can.” It’s a question of “should.” And Ratchet knows the answer to that question. He returns his gaze to Orion. Blue optics. Hm. They might look good on him. Maybe he’ll try a design change.

_Focus._

He smiles at Orion, at his dear friend. His decision may decide the course of history. It may determine the fate of Cybertron, of its people.

But probably not.

“Sure. Why not?”

Orion’s so trusting of him. Ratchet can see it in his eyes, feel it in his EM field. But what if he’s wrong? What if his decision isn’t the right one? Will Orion forgive him?


	2. Key to my Heart (Megatron)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Megatron analyzes his past relationship with Orion and makes a discovery.

He’d come so close. He’d seen those familiar optics again. They were blue and innocent, yet wise beyond their years. Megatron dipped a finger into his Engex. What was his problem? Seeing Orion again, even if it wasn’t real––

“Fuck!” He grabbed the Engex cube and crushed it. The human curse word felt satisfying in his vox. If the Earthlings were good for anything, it was their language. He leaned back in his chair and raised his optics to the ceiling. His EM field swirled around him, angry. He tried to soothe it, but ended up reminiscing instead––and asking questions. But all his questions lead him back to one: where did everything go wrong?

He’d always thought it was that moment in the Council tower when those glitched Councilors named Orion the new Prime, but had it begun earlier? To have Orion within his grasp again had stirred something within the warlord’s spark. His old friend had completely trusted him. No doubts marred his mind––for a while anyway. Megatron blamed Starscream for revealing the truth this time around. That idiot seeker was always in the wrong place at the wrong time, it seemed. But what about the first time? Starscream and Orion hadn’t been particularly close on Cybertron.

The medic.

Megatron felt his lip curl. Ratchet had been suspicious of him from the start––always questioning, questioning, _questioning_. He took after his mentor, Remedy, in that regard. But Megatron felt some sort of kinship with him. They weren’t entirely different, though Ratchet would deny that claim to his grave.

Some people operated under the assumption that Megatron didn’t care. It’s what Megatron wanted them to see, but it wasn’t the truth. He enjoyed being shrouded in lies and exaggerations. He _did_ care. He cared about Cybertron, about the future. He cared about winning the war, whatever the cost. That was his problem: he cared too damn much.

And he cared about a few people. Orion was one of them.

Emphasis on _was_.

Megatron stood up. He was done drinking. It always made him sentimental.

Orion hadn’t lost the key to his spark––he’d never had it to begin with.


	3. Of Love and Loss (Knock Out & Starscream)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Knock Out usually drinks with Breakdown, but now he's gone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning for minor self-harm here.

Knock Out slammed the drawer, ignoring the disturbed rattle of the medical instruments within. He checked his internal chronometer and immediately regretted it. This was the time he and Breakdown would normally drink.

But Breakdown was gone.

Knock Out leaned against the counter and bowed his head. How many days was it now? He didn’t bother counting. At first he hadn’t believed Dreadwing. He’d hated the mech for a long while. Then he’d hated Breakdown for leaving him…for Airachnid, of all people. Then CYLAS showed up. Knock Out scowled at the thought of that… _monstrosity_. Humans truly were revolting creatures.

He pulled a cube of Engex out of his subspace and turned it over in his hands. It was his last cube. They’d only been able to grab so much before they fled Cybertron. He took a swig, relishing in the burning sensation as it traveled down his intake. His free hand clenched into a fist and his claws pierced his palm. Pain shot up his arm and energon dripped to the floor. He ignored it. His pain was nothing compared to what Breakdown went through. He was so engrossed in his…"activity" that he didn’t hear the medbay door open.

“Doctor, what are you doing?” Starscream’s voice was uncharacteristically quiet.

Knock Out flinched and relaxed his hand. He slowly turned to face the Seeker, hiding his bloody hand behind his back. Starscream raised an eyebrow and crossed the room to stand in front of Knock Out.

“What do you want?” That came out snappier than Knock Out intended.

“I––” Starscream paused, as if unsure what to say. “I heard what happened to Breakdown and…I want to give you my condolences.”

Knock Out furrowed his brows. “…Thank you.” After a moment of thought, he held out his half-finished cube of Engex. “Would you like some?” He shook the cube, making the pink liquid slosh around.

Starscream’s optics brightened. “Where did you get that?”

“It’s vintage. Pre-Exodus. Last cube on Earth.”

Starscream’s hand shot forward, but he hesitated before grabbing the cube. Knock Out shoved it into his claws.

“Have the rest. I’m done.”

The Seeker nodded gratefully and took a sip from the cube. They stood in silence for a while, Starscream nursing the Engex and Knock Out fidgeting with his hands. The energon had dried by then and stopped leaking, but Starscream’s optics drifted there anyway.

“You should patch that.” The words weren’t arrogant. They were careful. Starscream met Knock Out’s gaze. “If there is anything you would like to…discuss, I will gladly help you.”

Knock Out nodded. “Thank you.”


	4. Walking in the Dark (Ratchet & Orion Pax)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Orion thinks the Council made the wrong decision. Ratchet's there for him.

Orion wasted no time rushing to his hab below the Hall of Records. He pawed at the door handle with shaking hands, finally wrestling it open. The room was notably colder than the hallway, for which he was thankful. He needed a cube of Engex.

His processor felt hazy. What time was it? Was it dark outside? He closed his optics and took a sip of his Engex––when had he grabbed that? Faces floated in the dark. He saw Jazz’s worried visage, but it disappeared as quickly as it’d come. Ultra Magnus, Alpha Trion, Ratchet, and Ironhide all appeared as well. Then Megatronus––no–– _Megatron_.

Orion shuddered. The familiar blue of his friend’s optics was gone, replaced with searing red. The light reflected off his helm and dipped into his scars, making them seem deeper than they actually were. The figure opened its mouth, filled with fanged dentae, and let loose a hoarse, guttural howl.

His Engex was gone. Orion tossed the cube aside and opened his optics. Static threaded through his vision, and silence pressed down on his audials like he was overcharged––maybe he was. He probably was.

What was that sound? He shook his head. Some of the static cleared. The noise was coming from his door. Someone was pounding on it.

“Orion?”

It was Ratchet.

“Slaggit, Orion! _Open the door_!”

He struggled to his feet and made his way across the room. Bracing his weight on the wall, he tapped in the code. The door slid away, and Ratchet’s face changed from one of anger to concern.

“Orion.” Ratchet’s voice was much quieter. Orion felt the medic’s EM field prodding at his own, and he wearily accepted the invitation. Soon a pair of hands were on his shoulders, guiding him to the couch.

They sat in silence. Ratchet wrapped an arm around Orion’s shoulders and sent comfort through his field. Orion leaned into the touch.

Finally, Ratchet sighed. “Do you want to talk about it?”

“I can’t––” Orion reset his vox and tried again. “Why would they make _me_ Prime?”

Ratchet’s optics flicked away, then back to Orion’s. He didn’t have a good answer. “I don’t think it really matters why––”

“I’m not a leader, Ratchet.” Orion felt static creeping into his voice again. He forced it back down. “I’ll only let them down.”

Ratchet shook his head. “Don’t say that.”

Orion opened his mouth to respond.

“ _Don’t_.” Ratchet was stern. His yellow optics brightened, blazing into Orion’s own blue ones. “Never sell yourself short. _Never_.”

“But I don’t understand!” Orion frowned. “I need to––help me understand.”

“I can’t.”

“I don’t deserve it.” His EM field darkened as traces of anger entered it. He fought to keep his temper down, but his voice rose anyway. “I’m not worthy of being Prime, of the Matrix, and everyone knows it. I’ll only lead them to their deaths!” His optics narrowed. “They need to find someone else––!” He was cut off by a burst of static. He’d blown his vox.

He ignored Ratchet’s widened optics and buried his head in his hands. Silent sobs racked his frame. He drew his EM field tight around his body as it filled with shame. How could he be even slightly worthy if he backed away from responsibility like this? Ratchet must think he’s a coward.

“ _No_.” Ratchet’s voice trembled, as if he was barely managing to keep it level. He’d removed his hands from Orion’s shoulders, but now they returned, feather-light. His EM field expanded to meet Orion’s, meeting the new Prime’s doubt with reassurance and confidence. “Orion, look at me.”

Reluctantly, Orion lifted his head. Ratchet’s optics were soft now.

“ _I_ believe in you. So does Jazz––and Magnus, and Elita, and I’m sure even Ironhide. But you don’t buy people’s trust. You _earn_ it.” He smiled. “And you start that by trusting yourself––believing in yourself.” His gaze turned away and he snorted. “ _Primus_ , that sounded so cliché.”

“I thought you were an atheist?” Orion couldn’t help but tease him. The tension in the room lessened.

Ratchet flicked his shoulder. “It’s a figure of speech, aft.” His serious demeanor returned. “But you understand what I’m saying, right?”

Orion held his stare for a moment before nodding. “Yes. And…thank you, old friend.”

Ratchet raised an eyebrow. “‘Old friend’? You’re getting all Prime-ly on me already.”

“I suppose it’s never too early to start.” He paused, thinking. Ultra Magnus once told him to always be prepared for the worst. Megatronus–– _Megatron_ ––had all but declared war back in the Council Tower. Was that not the worst outcome Orion could have imagined?

He decided to take Magnus’s advice.

“Ratchet, if there is to be a war––an honest-to-Primus, all-out war––I’m going to need commanders. I’ll need people I trust.” He watched Ratchet squint as he analyzed what he’d said. “And there is no one I trust more to be my Chief Medical Officer.”

Ratchet withdrew a few inches, optics rapidly dilating. “You _what_?”

Orion’s lips quirked into a grin. “You’re the only logical choice anyway. You’re Iacon’s Chief of Surgery, Remedy’s protegé, a strong supporter of our cause, and…my best friend. As I said: there is no one I trust more.”

“Pharma has more experience than me. Lifeline, even more so. Why––”

“Now who’s selling himself short?” Orion quelled the urge to cross his arms. Ratchet’s retort died in his vox and he glanced away. The antennae on his helm twitched nearly imperceptibly. Orion gave the medic all the time he needed to process the request.

Finally, Ratchet met his optics again.

“I accept––on one condition.”

“Name it.”

“Tomorrow you go out there, speak to these ‘Autobots’ who have decided to put their lives in your hands, and earn their trust––because right now, you are the only one who can.”

Orion nodded. “Deal.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope Orion wasn't too OOC.
> 
> I've always loved the idea that Ratchet and Orion have been close friends for a long time. I feel like Megatronus was always jealous of them. :p


	5. Old Friends (Arcee & Ratchet)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arcee wonders if she has guardian angels.

No one visited the Well at night.

Well, no one except Arcee.

She sat on the edge, peering into the depths––peering into Primus himself. Sometimes she wondered if Cliff or Tailgate were watching her, _judging_ her. Sometimes she wondered if there was even an afterlife.

“Do you come here every night?”

She saw the familiar white and orange paint job out of the corner of her optic. The medic took a seat beside her.

“Pretty much.”

He made a noise in his vox like a grunt. They didn’t speak much after that. Arcee continued staring into the Well, thinking. The silence made it harder. She didn’t like the silence. Earth was always so loud. Even in the darkest night, there was sound. Those accursed bugs were always chittering, or there was rain, or a computer was beeping. Arcee never thought she’d never miss it.

_Now, there’s nothing louder to me than the silence._

The words she’d spoken to Miko rang truer than ever before.

“Ratchet?”

He hummed acknowledgement.

“Do you believe in life after death?”

He turned to look at her. “I’m what the humans would call an ‘atheist.’”

“Why?”

He shrugged. “Why not? I live for the here and now, and for the good of those to follow me––not for rewards after I die.” He leaned forward and peered into the Well. “Thinking about old friends?”

“Something like that.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ratchet in the IDW MTMTE comics is an atheist, so I thought I'd project that onto his TFP character.
> 
> Yes, I know Unicron is real. I feel like Cybertronian atheists believe that while Primus and Unicron are real, they are not omnipotent gods capable of magic. Rather, they are more like the first titans.


	6. Nothing Was Learned (Starscream)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Starscream wonders if Megatron is a good leader.

Starscream ignores the shouting voices in his audial. They can wait. Megatron can handle things for a while without him. The warlord’s very name makes his lip curl. Everything is crumbling around them, and it’s their own fault.

Megatron is quick to preach that Optimus had forced his hand, that the destruction of Cybertron was the fault of the Autobots and them alone. But he’s wrong. The Decepticons played just as much of a role.

But it doesn’t matter who did it anymore, right? Cybertron is dead. Kaon lays cold and barren, deserted by all but the few Insecticon sentries left as its guardians. Praxus has long since rotted to the ground, destroyed by that vile rust plague. And Vos…

Starscream places his hand on the small window before him. He can still see Cybertron, but the sight makes his insides twist and coil. His planet is dark, blackened and gray as the husks of the dead soldiers coating its surface like an ocean. Cybertron is now little more than a morgue.

_ “Starscream! Report to the bridge immediately!” _

Megatron’s voice is like nails on a chalkboard. Starscream scowls and flicks his wings.

“Yes, my lord.”

He glances out the window again. Cybertron is a speck in the starfield now. Will he ever see it again––not as the ball of scrap it is now, but back in its true glory? Is that even possible without making peace with the Autobots?

If so, he doubts he’d ever see the day. The war will never end unless Megatron is…removed.

His eyes narrow. It is now that he must choose his loyalties––Megatron or Cybertron? He knows his choice. Soon a time will come for the others to choose as well. For their sakes, he hopes they make the right decision.


	7. Ignorance is Bliss (Elita-1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Elita-1 and Megatronus both believe the other is the ignorant one, but who is correct?

The riots were occurring all over the planet, from Praxus to Blaster City, Kaon to…Well, everywhere but Iacon. Elita-1 made sure that Iacon stayed a safe haven for all Cybertronians. Those lawless Decepticons wouldn’t be infiltrating her golden city anytime soon.

_ “You are being deceived.” _ Elita shook her head and snorted. If anyone was being deceived, it was Megatronus and his followers. They stood in the streets and screamed, optics glowing red and blasters firing at the first thing that moved.

Cybertron was hurtling full-speed for war, but no one wanted to admit it; not Megatronus, who continued to claim his was a peaceful movement; not Orion Pax, who naivety made him blind to the Decepticons’ true horrors; and certainly not Sentinel Zeta Prime, Cybertron’s supposed “leader.” That left one person for the job, and she wouldn’t let them down. Her people needed her.

Elita pulled on her last piece of riot gear, adorned with the badges that marked her as Cybertron’s Chief of Law. She activated her blackout visor and signalled to her team.

“Come on, mechs. Let’s move!”


	8. Friends Left Behind (Wheeljack & Firestar)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wheeljack and Firestar lay their companions to rest.

The Wreckers were fortunate the Xantium was such a large ship. It made it easier to transport their dead. They’d lost four in the most recent battle, despite their victory.

When a brother or sister fell, one of the remaining bots was given the task of sorting out things such as wills, endurae, last wishes, etc. Today, that job fell to Wheeljack. Fortunately, the Wreckers’ medic, Firestar, had agreed to help him.

“Pyro,” she read from her datapad. “One of the new recruits. Poor kid.”

“Any known endurae?”

“None. Kid was fresh off the assembly line.” She set the datapad aside and picked up the next. “Leadfoot.”

She went silent. Wheeljack raised an eyebrow and glanced at her.

“Firestar?”

She readjusted her grip on the datapad. “Sorry. Amica endura: Roadbuster.” She grabbed another datapad. “Third casualty: Roadbuster.”

Wheeljack frowned. “Slag.”

Firestar nodded. “Tell me about it.” She skimmed through both the datapads. “Looks like neither of them had a will or funeral preferences. I’ll mark them down for alloy recycling.” She added those datapads to her finished stack and reached for the final one. Wheeljack heard her sigh before reading the name.

“Flareup.”

“Your apprentice?”

“Yeah.” He watched her fingers tighten on the datapad.

“No endurae. No will. Wanted her organs donated if possible, so I’ll see if Ratchet can salvage her voicebox for that special case of his.” She gathered the datapads into her arms and carried them to a storage bin. Then she left the room, heading for the cargo bay--probably to say her goodbyes to Flareup and the others. Wheeljack waited until she left, then finished recording the information on his own datapad.


	9. The Lost City (Bulkhead & Wheeljack)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wheeljack takes Bulkhead to a special place.

The city was quiet, save for the growl of two engines. A slim, white car and a bulkier green one slowly rolled along the ruined road. They came to a stop at the inner gates and transformed.

“Woah,” the larger mech rumbled.

“You don’t know the half of it.” The small mech kneeled and picked up a shard of glass. He held it up to the light of the rising sun, and a rainbow was projected onto his chest. He rotated the shard, causing the light to bend in different ways. Finally he subspaced the shard and stood.

“Crystal City must have been beautiful.” The green bot picked up his own shard and tried to use the same trick his friend had, but the dried energon on the shard blocked the light. He grunted and dropped it on the ground.

“It sure was, Bulk.” Wheeljack stretched out his arm, fingers tracing the outlines of once-proud skyscrapers. “The way the light filtered through the buildings…The Science Embassy was the tallest one. It had this big symbol on top––I think it was supposed to be Luna 1. The hospital was pretty impressive too––Pharma was so proud of that place.” His arm dropped to his side like dead weight and his optics lost some of their shine. “It’s all gone now.”

Bulkhead put his hand on Wheeljack’s shoulder. “Remember it as it was, Jackie, _before_ the rust set in.”

Wheeljack smiled at him, optics unusually soft. “I’ll be sure to keep that in mind.”


	10. Among My Stillness (Shockwave)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shockwave must make an important decision, but it's not one that can be solved by mere logic…or is it?

Shockwave’s fingers hovered above the keyboard. His optic focused unwaveringly on the screen before him, but he didn’t truly see it. He was inside his own mind.

He remembered the shock that permeated his circuits when Sentinel Zeta Prime announced they were keeping the caste system. He stood and raised his voice above the others.

_ “You can’t be serious!” _

Sentinel looked him in the optics and frowned. _ “I am  _ more _ than serious, Councillor Shockwave.” _

He remembered standing on the podium in Kaon. His words began soft and anxious.

_ “The council is lying to you.” _

But as he continued, they gained strength. By the end, he was shouting, and the crowd was too.

_ “You are being deceived!” _

And he remembered the fear when a hand closed over his mouth and his vision went black. He remembered waking up cuffed to a medical berth, the mnemosurgeon, Trepan, staring at him with that wicked grin. The doctor’s needled fingers pierced his brain––his vision darkened again.

When he woke up, he felt nothing.

Now he had a choice to make. With a few simple commands, he could undo the surgeon’s meddling. He could give himself the chance to feel again.

But should he?

If Shockwave could frown, maybe he would have. Restoring his emotional programming could have positive side effects––the crew would trust him more and he would be able to better understand them––but the negative possibilities outweighed the positive. His decision-making skills would be severely affected; he could make poor decisions simply because he was having a “bad day.” And he didn’t want to relive that shock, that fear, or that anger.

No, he would not restore his emotions. It would be illogical to do so.


	11. The Small Things (Ratchet & Bumblebee)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ratchet, Bumblebee, and Raf find light in the darkness of war.

The screen was too bright. Ratchet paused in his work and leaned back. He brought a finger up to rub one of his optics––a habit he’d learned from the humans. It didn’t really work, but he liked to think it did.

He hadn’t really been working for long––only a few hours. At the old base, he’d often worked a lot longer.

 _The base is gone._ Optimus _is gone_.

A frown curled upon his lips and he turned away from the _Harbinger_ ’s computer. Maybe he _should_ take a break. Where were Bumblebee and Raf?

Laughter from outside was the answer to his question. He wearily made his way out of the _Harbinger_. It was nearly midnight, but despite the new moon, it wasn’t dark. His optics widened at the sight of hundreds of tiny, yellow dots floating around. One landed on him and he flinched away, clamping his plating down in alarm.

“Don’t worry, Ratchet!” Raf called from atop Bumblebee’s shoulder. “They’re just fireflies. They’re harmless.” He held his hand out and one of the fireflies landed on his palm. “See?”

Ratchet walked to Bumblebee’s side. The scout was trying to catch one of the bugs, but it kept slipping through his grip. A slight tickling sensation on his own finger made Ratchet look down. A firefly sat on the tip of his pointer finger. He brought his hand closer to his face to peer at the insect.

Meanwhile, Bumblebee had finally managed to “catch” his firefly. It sat on his face, right where his nose would be if he had one. He’d gone cross-eyed trying to see it. Raf giggled at the sight, then looked up at Ratchet.

“Do you still hate Earth, Ratchet?” he asked.

Ratchet shrugged, but his lips quirked into a slight smile. “Maybe a little less, now that I think about it.”


	12. Humans are Bizarre (Miko)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Miko is going through normal human biological processes; Ratchet and Bulkhead overreact.

Miko groaned and flopped back on the couch.

“Jack! May I have another chocolate bar?” She waved her hand at him.

“I think you’ve had enough.” He crossed his arms. She stuck her tongue out.

“I’m in _agony_ here and you’re going to refuse me _chocolate_?” He ignored her and turned away. She blew a raspberry.

“Wait, you’re in pain, Miko?” Bulkhead’s optics widened, panicked. “We need to call Nurse Darby! Ratchet, Miko needs to go to the medbay!”

Ratchet broke away from his computer and appeared beside Bulkhead.

“Miko, where does it hurt?” He asked, scanning her. Before she could respond, he gasped. “By the AllSpark! You’re bleeding heavily, Miko!”

She rolled her eyes. “It’s okay, Doc-Bot. It happens every month. No biggie.”

Both Autobots blanched, mouths dropping open and optics spiralling wide. Ratchet recovered first.

“You call that ‘ _no biggie_ ’?” He threw his hands in the air and shook his head. “I give up. Humans are absolutely bizarre!” Miko watched him walk back to his computer. “I’m still alerting Nurse Darby!”

Bulkhead stayed by Miko. He tapped his fingers together nervously. “So…you’re okay?”

She leaned over the guardrail to pat his arm. “I’m fine, Bulk.”


	13. In the Lonely Silence (Soundwave)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Soundwave finds himself stuck in the Shadowzone.

To many mechs, Soundwave’s situation would appear hopeless. Those mechs were shortsighted. He had to admit, though, it was difficult to think of another time he’d been in such deep scrap.

He’d decided early on that he didn’t like the Shadowzone. It was dark and lonely. He  _ had _ gotten to see the restoration of Cybertron. Now  _ that _ was impressive. Ratchet was smarter than Soundwave had given him credit for.

Now he was back on Earth, stuck watching the former scout and his new team act like children. Those newsparks, Sideswipe and Strongarm, knew  _ nothing _ of the war. They hadn’t lived it like the rest of them had.

But it was almost time. He know how to escape from this wretched hellhole. He just had to bide his time.


End file.
